Interview with The Global Fund who are investing in a malaria free future

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Interview with The Global Fund who are investing in a malaria free future

The Battle Plan Mark Dybul, Executive Director of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria on the future of funding the fight against malaria.

Mark Dybul

Executive director of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

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Are you hopeful funding for the Global Fund will be maintained, or even increased?

I am optimistic that funding will be increased. There is so much great work being done – and so much more to do.

Some say some political minds have moved on from malaria. Do you think that's the case?

No, I don’t think anyone has moved on, from malaria. This is an entirely preventable disease that most threatens children under the age of five. It can be stopped with a mosquito net that costs a few pounds. Working together, partners have reduced malaria deaths by nearly one-half over the past 15 years. If we let up now, those rates will start to climb again. Campaigners can help get the message out that we have a historic opportunity to end malaria as an epidemic if we work together.

What is your predicted outcome and what will happen if we don't continue to take the fight to malaria?

I predict that we will defeat malaria. That means we will reduce it to a level where it is no longer killing 500,000 children a year, where it is eliminated in many countries, and under control in most. We can do that. I believe we will. If we don’t stay committed to ending malaria, and we cut funding, rates will increase and all those gains will be lost.